A Tea Party Fit For A Princess

Posted on Wed Apr 17th, 2019 @ 6:31pm by Commander Torhild Jessen & Lieutenant Mark Jamison

3,659 words; about a 18 minute read

Mission: The Sincerest Form of Flattery
Location: Tori's Quarters

The walk to Tori's quarters passed quickly, largely because of the small talk between the adults and the laughter over the two small girls constantly skipping away holding hands, singing and giggling, then stopping and waiting for the adults to catch up. Clearly they were both having the time of their lives with this impromptu playdate.

Finally, as they walked into Tori's personal quarters, the two girls bolted with squeals of delight toward Astrid's bedroom.

"Don't mind the mess," Tori said offering a faint smile. "It's hard to keep up some times with working long hours and still trying to keep up with Astrid on my own. Most nights I end up falling asleep in her bed with her and wake up in the middle of the night. Otherwise, by the time I finally get her down, all I can think about is a nice long bath, a good book and a quiet glass of wine..." her voice trailed off as she laughed, heading toward the replicator in the kitchen, waving him toward the couch. "Make yourself comfortable."

As she replicated a tray of chocolate fudge cookies and two tall chocolate milkshakes, complete with whipped cream and chocolate syrup, Tori set the treats on the table and called the the girls out, cautioning them to not spill or crumb and to remain at the table until they had finished.

Once she was satisfied they were settled, she returned to the living room, offering another slight smile. "Would you mind terribly just watching them while they eat?" she asked quietly. "I just want to take a quick shower and wash away the worst of this. I don't want to scare them any more than necessary. I promise I won't be long."

"Oh sure, I don't mind watching them. It will be my pleasure", Mark said smiling. He watched both girls play as they ate and for a brief moment it brought back a memory of a happy time with Kinsley and her cousin when they had their tea parties.

Not even 10 minutes later Tori returned from her bedroom, freshly showered, a distinct scent of orchids and vanilla hovering around her. Her clothing had clearly been chosen with care to cover most of her injuries, and now that she had taken a shower those that still remained visible weren't entirely all that bad. Her wet hair had been brushed back down her back, leaving occasional damp marks on the back of her sweater, but all in all she was much more relaxed than she had been earlier.

As she walked back into the room, she took note of the two little girls giggling like crazy, Astrid teaching Kingsley how to dunk her cookies in her milkshake and using them to scoop up the cream. She cast an apologetic smile at Mark. "Sorry, that is totally my influence," she said with a gentle laugh. "I think I'm going to open a bottle of wine, do you want a glass?"

"Yes please. I good tumbler would suffice Tori", Mark said grinning. He listen to the girls playing and having a good time laughing and playing and for Kinsley to be happy again made him happy as well. " It does me good to hear Kinsley laugh again like this. After what she went through I thought we would never be happy again", Mark said. The scars from the divorce and custody battle were still there and still very much open.

Pouring the two drinks, Tori carried them back, handing one glass to him before she sank down onto the couch and pulled her knees up in front of her. "She always seems so happy when I've seen her at school recess," Tori said with a smile as she watched them. "Astrid adores her, I know that much. I've got so many hand drawn pictures tacked up in her bedroom that she's drawn of her and Kinsley together. They seem to be good friends." There was a moment of silence before Tori asked, "Does she ever see her Momma?"

"No......since the divorce and the custody battle, I can't allow it. My ex-wife traumatized Kinsley badly and the doctors said it was out of the question. The judge also said she could never be allowed to see her mother. Kinsley actually doesn't ask or think about my ex thankfully. I am told that she has locked that away somewhere in her subconscious mind. I just hope it stays that way for her sake. Being a 7 year old is hard enough but not having a mother figure in her life is bad enough. I try......I try so hard....", Mark said, looking at the girls playing. "It just doesn't seem to be enough just to be her father", he said sadly.

Tori smiled sadly as she nodded. "I know what you mean," she said quietly. "I feel the same when I look at Astrid. I mean, she's my world, she's my sun and my moon and everything in between, but I'm just her Momma... I can't be a father figure no matter how much I try, and I know sometimes that really bothers her. I think it's slightly different, Astrid has never known her father, so she has never had him in her life, but it has to be hard when all her little friends have Daddies and she doesn't." Tori's voice trailed off as she picked up her wine glass, taking a few sips.

"Kinsley sometimes asks where her mommy is and I have a tough time trying to explain to her that mommy hurt daddy's heart and because of that hurt she had to go far away, but then she asks why mommy took her away from daddy........", Mark just stopped, drew in a breath, and sighed heavily. "Each time she says that I can't really explain to a 7 year old that her mother decided that her daddy was no good and didn't love her. Kinsley loved her mother right up till she took her from me and started to lie and tell her bad things about me. One night I got a call from Kinsley and when I saw her on the view screen, Tori, I wigged out. Kinsley looked like she had been tossed through an airlock. She was bruised, bleeding and crying, and then she told me what her mother and her stepfather did to her", Mark said. Finishing his wine, he put his face in his hands to hide the pain of the memory.

"Daddy......Daddy what's wrong daddy", Kinsley said getting up and walking to Mark. "Daddy.....you hurting again?", she said trying to pull his hands from his face. Kinsley always knew when her father hurt and always came to fix it. "Daddy please, don't let it get to you daddy. Things will work out. I will get a new mommy some day and she will be better than the bad mommy", she said huggung her daddy.

Tori leaned forward, a bright smile on her face. "Hey Kinsley?" she called gently, luring the small child over to her. "I'll tell you what, how about I look after your Daddy and you and Astrid can go play in her room with all her toys?" she said with a smile, watching the glee spreading across the little girls face.

Almost instantly Astrid jumped up from the table, shoving the last of her cookie into her mouth as she bolted across the room.

"C'mn Knsly wcnnn..." Astrid was trying her hardest to speak around the mouth full of cookie she had.

"Astrid!" Tori admonished gently. "Stop, chew, swallow and then speak!"

There was a moment of silence as Astrid finished eating the cookie then looked at Kinsley and grinned, taking her hand. "Come on!" the excitement was clear in her voice. "You can play with my favorite unicorn!"

"Unicorn? You have an Unicorn? Can I see it Astrid please", Kinsley said as she disappeared into the next room with her.

Mark tried to push his hurt to the side for Kinsley's sake but it was not to be. This time it was the sight of both kids playing and what Kinsley said about a new mommy. That was something that might not happen for some time, and that was depressing enough. They have an old saying, 'time heals all wounds' maybe they were right. "Tori you got something stronger to drink?", Mark said.

"In the cabinet under my desk, back left corner," Tori said gently. "How about I go get the girls settled while you grab it. Replicator is in the kitchen, grab some glasses and some ice."

"Great", Mark said, getting up he headed over to get the glasses and ice and then got the good stuff. His intent was to get drunk and drown the pain. "Found it", he hollered, pouring himself a straight shot.

It was nearly ten minutes later when Tori finally returned, reaching up and pulling the elastic from her hair, shaking it out and letting it fall down past her shoulders. "Okay, the girls are all settled. Kinsley has borrowed a nightgown and they are both curled up in her bed, I put a unicorn movie on and they're both snuggled up with their unicorn plushies. I doubt they'll last long, they're both pretty tired," she said with a smile. "You okay?" she asked, walking across to her desk, resting a hand lightly on his forearm.

Handing Tori her drink, "Yeah I think so", he said softly. Taking a long swig of his drink, "It's just that Kinsely wants me to be happy and she wants a new mommy,......Oh......how is one supposed to handle that?", he said looking at Tori.

"Come on, bring the bottle, I suspect we're going to need it..." Tori said with a smile as she started back toward the couch. "Honestly, I don't know what to tell you. I think my one saving grace has been that Astrid doesn't really understand the concept of a father figure. She's never met him, we don't ever talk about him, he's just never existed in her life. It's probably what's kept me sane." she sighed softly. "What happened to her?" Tori asked gently. "Kinsley's Momma I mean..."

Mark poured another glass of the strong booze, taking a big gulp, he began at the beginning. " Our first two years of marriage were wonderful and incredible and full of life. When Kinsley was born we were the happiest parents around. When Kinsley turned two, I was posted to my ship and they went with me and we were a happy family aboard our new home. Things were good until my duties started to keep me away more and Rona started to bitch", Mark just stopped talking.

"Kinsley called her 'the bad mommy'?" Tori asked quietly. "How bad did it get?"

Looking at Tori, his eyes showed the pain of the divorce and custody battle. Misty eyed he continued, "It was a very nasty divorce. Because of my position, rather my duties kept me from my wife and Kinsley, Rona sued for divorce and custody based on my inability to be a father. She won, how, I found out later she was seeing another officer and he made accusations that I was a bad father. So....that is how I lost my daughter. Kinsley was 5 years old when her mother took her away. The judge did not permit me to see or have contact with Kinsley stating that I was a bad influence on her. A year later I got a frantic message from Kinsley asking to talk to me right away. How she managed that I never found out but.....Tori when I saw my daughter on the view screen I lost it!", Mark said pounding on the couch with his fist!

Reaching out quickly, Tori closed her hand around his wrist. "Okay, calm down," she said quietly. "You don't want the girls to hear you." She sighed softly. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry you both had to deal with that, but it's in the past now, maybe you both need to leave it there? The more you dwell on the things that hurt you, the more power you give them to keep hurting you. Mark, you can't change what's happened but you can change how YOU choose to deal with it. You have a second chance with your little girl, don't let your wife mess it up again."

"Tori, Kinsley was abused! She cried out to me Tori, Kinsley was battered, bleeding, dirty, skinny and the doctors said she....was.....", now he broke down in tears. Sobbing softly, "oh god Tori......how could Rona allow him to do that.....he....RAPED my little girl!", sobbing softly, he slid into her shoulder and cried. Mark's world just crashed in on him.

Tori put an arm around his shoulder, just holding him momentarily as he let go of all the emotion he had been holding onto. "It's okay," she said softly. "She's okay now, she's safe and she will never be in that position again."

"Not as long as I am breathing she won't, I swear it. She has bounced back from it but there are times when the nightmates surface and that's what kills me. I have to be strong for her and sometimes I wished I had someone to be a mother for her. It is hard Tori, very hard to raise a child that has been through that. Hell I haven't been able to think straight since I got here", Mark said drinking his drink and pouring another.

"And you likely won't be able to think straight any time soon," Tori said quietly. "Kinsley has been to hell and back, and you've been dragged along behind her. But you can't dwell there. You can't. It's not healthy for either of you."

"How do I move on Tori.....I am skittish about another relationship but for Kinsley's sake I want to make her happy but ......I want to get her a new mommy. She wants one so bad and she wants me to be happy. I don't even know if I can do it", Mark said.

"Then don't. Instead of focusing on a new relationship and a new mommy, focus on your relationship with Kinsley. Spend time with her, have fun with her. Don't let her see you sad, let her see you enjoying life and making plans and being happy." Tori sighed softly. "There is more to happiness than a relationship. Be yourself, find your own happiness." Tori paused, taking a long sip of her drink.

"Who are YOU?" she asked suddenly. "Where are you from? What do you like? What kind of music do you listen to? What's your favorite food?"

Suddenly shocked by Tori's out burst, "My name is Mark and I am from Montana Earth", he said quickly. Picking up his glass with a nervous hand downed its contents.

"Alright then, Mark from Montana, Earth, that's the person that Kinsley needs to see. Not the broken Mark left behind by the bad mommy... but the strong Mark who lets nothing stand between him and his daughter and happiness." Tori smiled gently as she finished her drink. "Now, while you're pouring," she said with a light laugh.

Quickly pouring another drink for Tori, "Um....oh hell.....why not", Mark said pouring another drink for himself. "Well I hope the past will stay buried", Mark chuckled.

"You just have to give it a chance," Tori said softly. "You know, I'm pretty sure the girls are sound asleep, I haven't heard any giggling for quite a bit," she said with a smile. "So now it's just us... what shall we do for the rest of the evening?"

By now Mark was feeling a bit more relaxed and more open in his thoughts, "Well Tori I ....", tugging on his collar a little, "wouldn't mind a little music", he said. "Something.....roman...er......soothing maybe", he said biting his lip. One problem, tiny problem, he couldn't rake his eyes off her. She had the most gorgeous set of eyes that just captivated him.

"Computer, play music file Jessen Delta Four Nine," Tori ordered. "And lower the lights to fifty percent." She waited a moment as the lights dimmed and the soft strains of instrumental music started to fill the room. "The lights might disturb the girls," Tori explained quietly. "Astrid's bed is against the opposite wall, the light shines directly on the bed." Standing up she walked across the small room, standing in front of the view port, looking at the stars beyond the starbase. "It looks so peaceful out there," she said quietly. "So beautiful."

Putting his glass down, Mark opened the top three buttons of his shirt before wakling over to where she stood. "Yes, it is very peaceful and beautiful. Sometimes I wish I could just be floating out there free as a bird. Without a care in the world except for my daughter Kinsley. Have you seen the Nagoria Nebula? It is awesome. The colors and the way it moves is incredible", he said chuckling.

Tori laughed softly. "Want to know something?" she asked rhetorically. "One of my biggest fantasies is to just be able to float in space and take it in. No EV suit, nothing.. just me, and the universe around me." She shook her head quickly. "Pretty silly huh?" she countered pointlessly. "Sorry, no I haven't seen the Nagoria Nebula. I'd love to see it one day, it sounds divine."

"Well as for the nebula, I have a holodeck program on that. We could run the program in the holodeck and if you want....well we could experience it floating freely", Mark wanted to see the Nagoria Nebula himself but why not floating freely around it too!

Turning to face him, Tori smiled. "Sure, why not. I mean, I'm sure my sitter would be happy to take both the girls for a few extra hours, she's amazing with Astrid," she replied quietly. "Who knows, maybe some down time will be nice."

"Great, then we have a date?", he asked gently putting his hand on her shoulder. Mark was feeling good by now and well his mind was beginning to soften in his unconscious part as well. Maybe spending time with Tori and both girls together might be part of the healing that they needed. Only time would tell.

“Does Kinsley like the zoo?” tori asked quietly. “I’m taking a day off next week, and I have a holodeck reserved for a few hours, I was going to take Astrid to the zoo. Would Kinsley like to join us?” She looked up at him, watching carefully, trying to gauge his reaction.

"I bet she would. When I used to tell her stories about animals, I would tell her about the zoo's and she said that one day she would love to see one. I wouldn't mind going myself. It's neen years since I went to one", Mark said chuckling. "Maybe I could also get the day off as well. I'm sure my boss would give it to me".

Tori smiles slightly. “Well I have Friday off. We are planning a staycation. I have a few holodeck slots booked and other than that we are just going to have fun, spending some quality time. You and Kinsley are both welcome to join us,” she offered with a smile. “I’m sure Astrid would love having Kinsley tagging along.”

"Great and thankyou Tori for being here for us. You have no idea what a comfort it is to be able to talk without reservation to someone", Mark said, leaning in and kissing Tori on the cheek. He wasn't sure if he did the right thing but his heart meant it.

“That’s what I’m here for,” Tori replies with a gentle smile. Instinctively as he leaned in, she put her arms around him, hugging him carefully. “Any time,” she murmured softly.

"I have no regrets about tonight", he whispered as his arms snaked around her waist gently, nrushing his lips across hers. Maybe it was the booze, maybe it was the long years of being alone, Mark wasn't sure but he knew what his heart was saying and he listened to it this time.

For the briefest of moments Tori found herself lost in the kiss before she pulled away, resting her hands on his chest. “Mark, no, what if the girls come out?” She asked softly. “I don’t think this is the right time, you’re not thinking clearly. You need to go back to your quarters and get some sleep.”

"Maybe your right Tori. Maybe I was to impetuous to listen to my heart. I should go", Mark said as he picked up his shoes. "You will stay with Kinsley till the girls get up?", he asked as he headed for her door.

Tori sighed softly, closing her eyes for about three seconds before she turned around and closed the distance between them, reaching out and closing her hand around his wrist. "That isn't what I meant at all... I just... I..." she sighed and reached up with her free hand, running it through her hair. "I would hate for Kinsley or Astrid to come out and get the wrong idea," she said quietly. "I'll look after the girls tonight, go get some sleep. Real sleep," she said gently, reaching up and brushing her lips lightly across the corner of his mouth.

Holding her tight, he caught her lips and deepened the kiss. Backing from the kiss, he cupped her face in his hands, "I know what you meant Tori. We have all the time in the world to get to know each other. I will see you in the morning, lovely lady", Mark said softly and left quietly.


=/\=

Lieutenant Commander Torhild Jessen
Chief Science Officer
Starbase Versailles

&

Lieutenant Mark Jamison
Damage Control Specialist
Starbase Versailles

 

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